MEDIA and RESEARCHERS: 17 Documents (more than 80 pages) - the most extensive, truthful information about the industry on the Internet(These research documents, many of which appeared when the site began in 1995, have been updated through the years. Updating continues.)To view any Document, click its name. When finished with a document, click your BACK arrow to return here.

5A)JOYFUL, CREATIVE FUNERAL to celebrate a friend'sNEW LIFE! He is celebrating and wants you to celebrate with him.Don't have the usual dreary funeral that focuses on a dead body that he/she put aside and doesn't use anymore.Mortuaries coax families to focus on a dead body to helpcheat every famiiy with outrageously-priced caskets.

Joyful Celebration of one family is fully described.Photos and ideas for celebrating, decorating. Colorful folders, guest book.

===================================================================================6)ASSISTANCE with EMOTIONS and GUILT FEELINGS of many adults, youths and children when there is a miscarriage, death of a babyor child, teen suicide, or other deaths. Advice. Suggested services.===================================================================================

7) IMPORTANT TASKSlong before death; at death; after death.======================================================================

8)130+ DECEPTIVE TACTICS used to rob YOUR family by mortuaries, cemeteries and prepay plans in every city. Gifts (bribes) to pastors of most large churches.130+ tactics listed and explained ONLY on this site.

13) A CENTURY OF FRAUD by the funeral industry and most local mortuaries since 1903. Statements of experts through the century.===================================================================================

14)UNJUST "PROFIT SYSTEM"of the industry - designed to enable every neighborhood mortuary to obtain highest-possible rip-off and profit.ABSOLUTE SECRECY is enforced throughout the industry about: wholesale casket prices; 130+ deceptive tactics; harmful caskets; high markups; high profit; low pay to employees; and bribes of clergy, hospital, hospice staffs.Secrecy is enforced by FEAR (damage to mortuary buildings and vehicles, threat of bodily harm, threat to cut off supply of caskets to a mortuary).===================================================================================

15)NAMES of FAIR mortuaries, prices in various states. (Being compiled)

ESSENTIAL FAMILY INFORMATIONTruthful information --needed immediatelyif a death occurs, or one is expected, or if considering a prepay plan.How to Arrange for a Funeraland avoid the unfair prices and deceptive tactics used by most mortuaries, cemeteries and prepay plans.3

►1. The MOST IMPORTANT STEP: KNOW WHAT A FAIR PRICE IS, thenFIND A FAIR-PRICED MORTUARY!If you skip this step - you WILL BE CHEATED of thousands of dollars. Most neighborhood mortuaries have outrageous high prices (shown in black below). So, check prices outside your neighborhood.●CLICK underline above to FIND a FAIR-priced mortuary. (Two methods)● HOW TO PHONE for CORRECT prices. Many give false prices (phone,ads)

►2. Use a church for all services. Avoid nearby high-priced mortuaries.

4) FRAUDULENT, destructive "Protective seal" GASKETcaskets.YOUR FAMILY probably always bought these. They haveSEVERELY DAMAGED EVERY BODY of your family. Morticians coax all families to buy them for high profit (up to $3,000 profit each) despite KNOWING that theyBLOAT and DAMAGE every body. Many EXPLODEdaily in mausoleums. Kept secret 100 years to enable high profit.● Commercial & Catholic cemeteries HIDE damage to help mortuaries' high profit.

Explained ONLY on this one Internet site; with photos of the harmful gaskets.

►How to easily obtain NON-GASKET caskets - SAFE, beautiful, cost less. Hundreds of models. Many hide them to force you to buy costly, destructive ones.Ask to see color photos that all mortuaries have. Delivered free in two hours.

List of theFAMILY INFORMATION PAGES of this siteOVERVIEW: Read through this list for an OVERVIEW of the funeral industry's unjustprices and tactics - and suffering inflicted on families by your neighborhood mortuaries.ONLY site on the entire Internet revealing the TRUE "Top Secret" wholesalecasket pricesthat families and media need to calculate the amount of rip-off by their local mortuaries.

Click an underlined TOPIC title below to view the Topic explanation page.(If a Topic title is not underlined, it is not available yet but will be shortly.)

Added:"Vulgarized" caskets

New:Neptune "society" fraud

The FIRST-ever ads in a major U.S. newspaper that●warn families about high funeral prices and give a ●phone number to call to obtain a fair-priced funeral.(Click hereto close these ads.)Several ads were rejected by the newspaper. Mortuaries andthe Catholic Diocese did not like our exposing their outrageousprices and deceptive tactics. They do not care about famiiesbadly hurt financially and emotionally - only about high profit.

Google and a dozen other search engines display this ad more than 150 times daily - when anyone in the Phoenix area types "funeral, casket, burial, cremation" or any other funeral-related word. The ad appears before more than 1,100 persons each week.

Feb. 7, 10/ 2010

Feb. 28; Mar. 3/ 2010

Dec.27, 30/ 09; Jan.3, 6/ 10

EnglishWelcomeEspañol

This site provides TRUTHFUL information, advice, and clear, simple instructions for allfamilies - especially if they've had a death, are expecting one, or are considering a prepay plan.

The Interfaith Funeral Information Committee (IFIC) was founded in 1983. This sitewas begun in 1995 and probably has the most extensive information about the funeralindustry, funerals, prices, deceptive tactics, and families' problems on the Internet.The large research portion of the site is being updated - at the bottom of this Index page.

If you have questions, problems, experiences or suggestions, you are invited tosend e-mail tofunerals@funerals-ripoffs.orgor phone480-303-0857anytime.

= NEWS = == NEW ADS: See the FIRST-EVER ads in a major U.S. newspaper, that began in 2009, that:1)warn all families in Phoenix's two-million population about rip-off prices and2)give a phone number that all families can call to obtain fair-priced funerals for less than$2,200 and cremation for less than $700 total. Families don't need to call mortuaries anymore. And DAILY ADSin GOOGLEand a dozen other search engines. See many of the ads in a section below. (See other Google ads in Jan.6/09 below.)

== WARNING: Don't sign anything at a mortuary (funeral home) until you are sure you are satisfied with their funeral prices, etc. -- because in many states you cannot change to another mortuary if you sign your name on a statement or other document (even if you find a lower-priced mortuary; if you can't pay the high funeral prices of the mortuary, or if you don't like the way they treat you, etc.).

== MANY INVESTIGATIVE ARTICLES. A large number of national and regional articles about the funeral industry and about our Interfaith Committee's research and can be seen if you visit Google or other search engines and type "henry wasielewski". You will find listings of more than 80 newspaper and magazine articles and TV programs on most Search sites.

Fr. Henry Wasielewski was one of the IFIC's founders in 1983 and has been one of the most active members and researchers. He represented the IFIC in hearings at the Arizona Legislature, before the Federal Trade Commission, and he testified in two U.S. Senate Hearings in Washington, D.C.

Our IFIC has been featured in and has assisted TV investigative programs on national networks and local stations throughout the country, and has been written about in many magazines and books. A list of TV programs, magazines and books that the IFIC has been featured in or assisted with is at the bottom of this column.

See photos from many TV Investigative Reports in 9B and 9C in the list at the bottom of this page.

= Latest Additions =

== December 2009 until now - - NEW ADS:Click hereto view the FIRST-EVER ads in a major U.S. newspaper that twice-weekly: 1)warn all families in Phoenix's two-million population about funeral rip-off prices and 2)phone number that all families can use to obtain fair-priced funerals for less than $2,200 and cremation for $645. Families don't need to call mortuaries anymore. The ads began in 2009 on Sunday, Dec. 20, and Wednesday, Dec. 23.. They continue in 2011. The ads are a gift to families by a member of our IFIC. They appear twice-weekly in the midst of high-priced mortuaries' ads on the obituary pages of the state's largest newspaper. Mortuaries are not happy that fair prices are listed and that families are being told that they don't have to call mortuaries anymore.Our ADSin GOOGLEappear daily, and in a dozen other search engines - appearing before more than 1,100 persons a week..

== Aug. 22/11 - - Currently, more than 4,000 visitors come to this site each month from nearly every state and many foreign countries.

== Aug. 23/10 - - Additions to Topics

== Nov. 1/09 - - Currently, more than 3,000 visitors come to this site each month from nearly every state and many foreign countries.

== July 11/09 - - This new layout of separate Topic pages is added to this site. Each Topic is on a separate page - linked to a descriptive Index page to make it easier for families to find desired information. - - This replaces the original layout of this Family Information section which had all topics in separate windows on a single large page.

== Feb. 26/09 - - Faster download due to the addition of new separate graphic pages for large photos previously located on the single page.

== Jan. 26/09 - - NEW about the Internet: In December 2008, the number of home and office computers using the Internet reached 1 Billion. (People from more than 50 countries visit this site each month. We've put the number of people using the Internet in various countries at the bottom of this window, in case you are interested.)

On July 28,/08, Google announced that there were now 1 Trillion websites on the Internet.

== Jan. 9/09- - Families are being SERIOUSLY HARMED by false information in the TV report about funeral prices by Phoenix Channel 15, ABC-KNXV, on January 9.

If the reporter had taken time to look for information on the Internet, she would have seen CORRECT price informationin our new ads and this site, and would not have misled thousands of families who viewed the program.

The station has an obligation to reduce the financial harm it caused families by presenting another report with CORRECT information. == Jan. 6/09- - See OUR NEW SEARCH ADS on: ►Google.com, ►AOL.com, ►Earthlink.com,►NewYorkTimes.com, ►Internet Explorer, ►ASK.com, ►Netscape.com,►About.com, ►Lycos.comand others. The ads appear when anyone in the Phoenix metropolitan area searches for funeral information. (Members of our Interfaith Committee are donating money to pay for the ads.)

The ads WARN families about the outrageous prices and false information on funeral home sites and in the other ads on the Search sites.

The ads provide fair prices and link to the Funerals-Ripoffs.org site to help newspaper and TV reporters (some of whom do not take time to do careful research - but let themselves be misled by morticians of high-priced mortuaries. Morticians "use" the reporters to mislead and harm the families who read and view the harmful media reports).

These ads invite families to visit our site to obtain TRUTHFUL INFORMATION. Here are three of the ads listing honest FAIR prices that families need to know and seek - and media reporters should present to readers and viewers:

- - "Preservative Seal" claim is banned by Federal Trade Commission (FTC) but a majority of morticians continue to make this illegal claim.

- - Art and photos from national TV programs and publications, first items.

== Sept. 17/08 - - Casket photos and more information are added to the site.

== High listings in Internet search engines for this new "Family Information" section in English and Spanish are being received from Internet Search engines out of the thousands of funeral sites (for "funeral prices", "precios funeral", etc., when visitors type these words to search for funeral information):

== July 28/08 - - Google announced that there are now more than ONE TRILLION websites (URLs) on the Internet.

== July 28/08 -- In the Phoenix metropolitan area, the TIMES monthly publication, in its July and August issues published cover articles dealing with the funeral industry and its prices. The two articles are entitled"Dead Wronged: Shocking mistakes by area funeral homes have left some grieving families with few answers and little recourse". The July article tells of families who had problems with funerals and ashes, and even more trouble trying to get answers or corrections. The August article deals with the funeral industry, its tactics and high casket and funeral prices. The articles were written by Shanna Hogan, Assistant Editor.READ these two articles by going to Topic 12 - Read Magazine and Newspaper Articles. Or you can click here:www.timespublications.com/july08-feature1.asp

== May 18/08 -- The Arizona Republic newspaper recently published two lengthly articles.

The article of May 18, entitled "Funerals: Inconsistant costs, wide confusion", is very good and accurate. READ this article by scrolling down this page to the colored NOTE entitled "Read Magazine and Newspaper Articles" and clicking on the name of the article.

The second article, a Q&A type, interviewed Darryl Roberts, "consumer advocate", author of the very good 1997 book, Profits of Death. (for which Fr. Wasielewski of our IFIC wrote the Forward). However, the interviewer and The Arizona Republic did a great disservice to the public by NOT CHALLENGING Roberts' incorrect and misleading answers. Nearly every answer was what a smart mortician would say to confuse and mislead the public about funerals and prices. Before writing his book exposing the industry, he owned 25 cemeteries and five mortuaries. His answers give the impression that he may be re-entering the funeral business or is investing in mortuaries. We will publish corrections for his misleading answers. - - - The Interfaith Funeral Information Committee (IFIC) was formed in 1983. It provides information to families, churches, social agencies, national and local newspapers, magazines, and radio and TV networks and programs.

Legislation: The IFIC has testified in funeral hearings at the Arizona Legislature, before the Federal Trade Commission, and in two U.S. Senate Hearings in Washington, D.C.

TV Investigations: The IFIC has been featured on: NBC's TODAY, NBC's DATELINE (twice), NBC's Closer Look with Faith Daniels, CNBC's Steals and Deals, ABC's HOME show (now Regis and Kelly), ABC's 20/20 (IFIC assisted with the program), Showtime cable's Penn and Teller fraud esposé program.Aquí y Ahora investigative program of the national Spanish language Univisión network.TV programs in England and New Zealand.

TV investigative reports: The IFIC has been featured on all TV stations in Phoenix, and on stations in Tucson, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Houston, Cincinnatti, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York, Nashville, and Hartford.

Photos and text from a number of the TV programs and other investigations are located on this site.

The IFIC's activities are described in the books: Profits of Death, 1997, by Darryl Roberts,(Fr. Henry Wasielewski of our IFIC wrote the Forward to the book.)The American Way of Death Revisited, 1998, by Jessica Mitford,(The famous author dedicated the book to Fr. Henry Wasielewski and two others.) Dealing Creatively with Death, A Manual of Death Education and Simple Burial, 2000, by Ernest Morgan (and several earlier editions).

English and Spanish: The reason for two languages on many pages is to help everyone in a familiy to read together when some family members use one language and others use the other. (Thanks to Amalia Villegas, a college professor and counselor, and to Leonardo Reichel, a writer and reporter for Hispanic publications, for their help with the Spanish version. Both are very active in various social justice projects.)

(Note: Arrowheads, as (►words◄), indicate that a small box explaining the words will appear when your mouse passes over them.